Television interviews are, by far, the trickiest of all
press encounters but they can also be the most rewarding in
terms of your public relations efforts. Welcome the
opportunity to appear on TV, and be prepared. By
remembering a few rules and practicing, anyone can look
and sound big on the little screen.
Generally there are three types of television interviews.
Recorded: Your interview will be aired in its entirety or
will be cut up into smaller sound bites for part of a
larger story. Recording ' and editing later -- enables the
reporter to ask the same question over again if he stumbles
over his words. You can do the same with your answer. The
best thing to remember here is that if you start an answer
and flub it after a couple of words, simply stop and start
over. If they are just going to use a sound bite, the
reporter is not likely to air your mistake.
Live in studio: You are being interviewed in a setting in
which you are with other people in the room and can
interact with them as if it were just a normal
conversation. This is probably the most comfortable of the
three formats.
Live on location: You are alone in a studio facing nothing
but a camera because you are in a remote location, away
from the main studio where the interviewer is located. You
can hear, but not see the interviewer. Look straight into
the camera the entire time (but don't glare), just as
though it were an interviewer. If you look away, you'll
seem distracted and aloof. Keep looking at the camera until
the technician in the studio says you are off the air.
With some exceptions, there is little room for asking
in-depth questions that require in-depth answers. So how do
you get your story right? Make sure the reporter is well
briefed on the subject. TV reporters often have to cover a
wide range of topics. The better informed they are, the
better questions they will ask and the better the interview
will go. You don't want a reporter asking, "So, what does
your business do?" Better to get a question like, "After 20
years in the business, what trends do you see for the next
year or so?" Schedule a background phone call before the
interview, if possible, to cover all of the basic
information with the reporter.
Here are some rules to remember when doing a television
interview:
· Before you do a broadcast interview, make sure you
have all of the details. Who is doing the interview? Will
it be a panel interview on a particular topic or will your
executive have the camera and/or mic to himself? Know the
show format and the names of other guests who will be on
before you.
· Memorize your message points. Don't look at your
notes. Repeat messages two or three times naturally during
the conversation so the interviewer can choose the best
versions of sound bites.
· Sit slightly forward in an upright, non-swivel
chair with arms.
· Men: Wear dark suits with off-white or blue
shirts. Avoid "busy" ties. Sit on the bottom of your suit
jacket so the shoulders do not ride up. · Men: Don't
refuse makeup. A little powder on the forehead will keep
you from looking like a lighthouse. Bring an electric
shaver to erase your five o'clock shadow. Wear socks that
go up to your calf so your ankles don't show.
· Women: Avoid large, shiny, dangling, or otherwise
distracting jewelry. Avoid "busy" clothing patterns. Colors
are fine.
· Be visual. Do the interview at your place of
business, if appropriate. Even better, if you have a
factory floor, a control room, or some other kind of high
visual, use that as the backdrop. · Bring a
prop—your product or some other object to illustrate
your point.
· Talk directly to the interviewer. The camera and
microphone will find you. Maintain eye contact.
· Gesture with your hands where appropriate.
· Be personable and open. Smile when appropriate.
Television interviews generally are as much about style as
substance, so HOW you look is important. More than 90% of
communication is nonverbal, so the way you carry yourself,
the way you dress, your gestures, and your facial
expressions are critically important. Unless you are a bank
loan officer or a DMV clerk, the human face is capable of
about 10,000 distinct expressions. There's an old adage
that television adds 10 pounds to anyone's appearance. I
think it really depends on how many jelly doughnuts you eat
in the green room before the broadcast. Maybe the camera
does give you a slightly wider appearance, but how you look
depends more on your posture, your face, your gestures, and
the way in which you dress.
Hit your messages, remember your appearance, be engaged in
the interview and you'll be great! Good luck.
----------------------------------------------------
Robert Deigh is the author of the new PR book,"How Come No
One Knows About Us?"(WBusinessBooks). For a free full
chapter, "16 Ways to Come Up With Story Ideas That Will
Attract Press," contact rdeigh1@aol.com
http://www.rdccommunication.com
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